VP Business Development — Canada (RWI)

Howden • Toronto, ON

1d • CA$170,000 - CA$205,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

Howden Private Capital, the transactional risk arm of Howden, is launching a dedicated Canadian business development effort and is hiring a BD leader to anchor its presence in the Canadian market. This is a foundational hire with significant scope to shape strategy, build relationships, and grow a market. The VP, Business Development — Canada will support Howden Private Capital’s commercial development across the Canadian transactional insurance market, with a primary focus on Representations & Warranties Insurance (RWI) and broader exposure to Tax, Contingent, and Credit products. This is a market-facing role responsible for opening doors, building the Howden Private Capital brand in Canada, and serving as a BD partner to senior brokers across the platform. The role involves building the Canadian sponsor, corporate, and law firm relationship map, driving structured outreach and pipeline activity, and partnering closely with U.S.-based deal teams to convert relationships into placed business. It also requires coordinating with the broader Howden Canada platform across P&C, Specialty (D&O/E&O/Cyber), and other lines to deliver a fully integrated client experience.

Requirements

• 5–10 years of experience in business development, sales, brokerage, investment banking, M&A legal practice, or a closely related transactional role, with exposure to or interest in the Canadian market.
• A network across Canadian private equity sponsors, pension funds, corporate M&A teams, or the Canadian M&A legal community — or a clear plan and demonstrated ability to build one.
• Demonstrated track record of building and converting commercial relationships.
• Working knowledge of M&A transaction dynamics; willingness to learn RWI and the broader transactional insurance product suite is more important than prior product experience.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; comfort representing the firm in senior client settings.
• Self-starter mentality with the discipline to operate independently in a foundational market role.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Willingness to travel domestically and to the U.S. as needed (estimated 30–40%).

Nice To Haves

• Exposure to RWI, Tax, or Contingent Risk transactions in the Canadian or cross-border market.
• Familiarity with the Canadian PE landscape (e.g., Onex, Brookfield, CPP, OTPP, CDPQ, Novacap, Birch Hill, Altas, Imperial Capital) and the leading Canadian and global M&A law firms operating in Canada.
• Comfort building a market from the ground up and helping establish a platform in a new geography.
• Advanced degree (JD, MBA, CPA) a plus.

Responsibilities

• Support all Howden Private Capital BD activity across Canada, with primary focus on Toronto, Montréal, Calgary, and Vancouver, and contribute to strategy across the broader Canadian sponsor and corporate landscape.
• Build and maintain senior relationships with Canadian private equity sponsors, pension plans, family offices, corporate development teams, and the M&A bar.
• Set high-value meetings for senior Howden Private Capital brokers and serve as an on-the-ground BD presence in Canada, with clear weekly and monthly activity targets.
• Develop, maintain, and report on a disciplined and organized national outreach strategy for the Canadian market, including a tiered account plan and named-target list.
• Organize and host roadshows across Canadian financial centers and into the U.S. as needed, including pre-meeting preparation, coordination with internal deal teams, and post-meeting follow-up to drive sustained pipeline development.
• Partner with the senior RWI broking team on pitches, meeting prep forms (MPFs), and tailored client materials for priority accounts.
• Coordinate with Howden’s Canadian P&C and Specialty teams to identify cross-sell opportunities and deliver an integrated client experience across transactional, P&C, and management liability lines.
• Represent Howden Private Capital at Canadian industry conferences, dealmaker events, and law firm gatherings.
• Track activity, pipeline, and conversion metrics in Power BI and Novidea, and report into the Head of BD, Coverage on a regular cadence.
• Serve as a thought partner to leadership on Canadian market dynamics, competitive positioning, and product strategy.

Benefits

• Base Salary: C$170,000 – C$205,000, commensurate with experience.
• Annual Discretionary Bonus tied to individual and team performance.
• Comprehensive Benefits: extended health and dental, RRSP matching, generous PTO, and Howden’s global mobility programs.
• Reasonable accommodations such as flexible hours or hybrid working.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior